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Towards an Understanding of Bigfoot


Night Walker

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What would it take for you to reverse your opinion on Bigfoot, SD? Is that even possible?

It is possible to change my opinion, if the PGF was never shown. If I hadn't seen what looked like a person covered in hair lying face down on an interstate bridge overpass in the 80's. I would change my mind if Denisovan, Neanderthal, and some other ancient hominid dna, were not found in our genome. And for cripes sake can anyone do anything about these reports of them being seen? I'd change my mind if there were no historical (pre-PGF) accounts of a hairy wildman. I'd change my mind if there were no Native American pictographs of a hairy wildman.

I'd like to get a better understanding and question you in detail about the above (if that is ok with you) - would you prefer that to occur in a new thread or in private?

To be honest.... I thought you'd never ask! I would really like to show you what I found 2 years ago here in Virginia, but due to the nature of what was discovered I would like to do that privately if that's ok with you. You can then advise me if I should or shouldn't post it in the forums here. You'll understand once you see it. Your input will be valued.

It would be an honor and a pleasure to engage in a question/answer type conversation with you. Public is fine because I have questions as well.

I'll start a new thread shortly (when I get the time) and others will be welcome to contribute, of course. For the private stuff - fell free to contact me via PM or email (available on my website).

Sounds like a plan.

... from the "Yowie: Bridging the Believer-Skeptic Divide" thread.

Ok, so this is a case study into SD's experiences and belief in the possible existence of Bigfoot which primarily consists of:

1 - the Patterson-Gimlin film of Bigfoot at Bluff Creek in northern California, 1967,

2 - a personal sighting of "what looked like a person covered in hair lying face down on an interstate bridge overpass in the 80's",

3 - our own genetic relationship to extinct human ancestors,

4 - historical accounts of hairy wildmen in the U.S., and

5 - Native American pictographs of depicting hairy wildmen.

While this list may be (or may not) expanded in future, it currently provides ample opportunity for exploration, analysis, and discussion. It is hoped that we will be able to examine each aspect as it relates to SD in detail as well as the correlations between each aspect which constitute a coherent whole of what Bigfoot is or could be for SD.

Irrespective of whether opinions about Bigfoot on either side change or not, it is hoped that both sides (and everyone in between) will gain a better understanding of the broader phenomenon via this single case study. Questions and contributions from anyone besides SD and myself are welcome...

[How's that? Any issues/corrections before we commence?]

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Thank you NW, nice intro. I will further add that the purpose of this discussion is to gain and share knowledge. All feedback is welcome.

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My questions are about #2 above:

2 - a personal sighting of "what looked like a person covered in hair lying face down on an interstate bridge overpass in the 80's"

Can you offer more background on this, SD? From the physical: I know it was a long time ago, but answer what you can remember. What highway? County? Where was the creature (which side of the road) and were you in the lane next to it? Were you driving? Weather? Season? Heavy or light traffic around you at the time you saw this? Day or night? Lighting of any kind- moon or bridge lights? Your speed? Did you go back? Try to find anything in the papers? How large was it compared to an average human male or black bear? What made you think it was bipedal? Anything odd about the hair? If it had been hit and was large enough for you to consider bigfoot, it must have done some damage to a vehicle if a car, to the point of causing an accident or the driver to have to pull over from damage or just shock. A bigfoot hit could or more likely would be interpreted as having hit a human by the driver, I would think. ( a semi, drunk, hit-and-run are all poss too though) Maybe nothing hit it. Did you live near or were familiar with the area?

Could it have been a rug? People dump and lose all kinds of odd stuff along roadways? And why not a bear?

Mindset questions: Clear thinking or tired at the time? Previous to this incident: Were you a bigfoot enthusiast at the time? Thought BF was a possibility? Heard any BF stories from the area? Read any books or saw any recent shows/movies about bigfoot? I'm just trying to see what your mindset was at the time. Iow, why do you connect that incident with Bigfoot? Statement #2 doesn't necessarily sound like you did, but since that is what this thread is about, I have to assume you did? How old were you? Had you looked for bigfoot in the woods at all?

Did this incident always haunt you as a BF possibility or at the time did you dismiss it completely only later come to think of it as possible BF after you became interested in the topic?

I take misinterpreting posts and OP's to an art form, so PLEASE ignore anything that does not apply to this thread! I do not want to derail something good!

Edited by QuiteContrary
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My questions are about #2 above:

2 - a personal sighting of "what looked like a person covered in hair lying face down on an interstate bridge overpass in the 80's"

Can you offer more background on this, SD?

Hi QC, I can and will. It's late now and that's a lot of questions, but I'll reply tomorrow.

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Hi QC, I can and will. It's late now and that's a lot of questions, but I'll reply tomorrow.

Yes, there are. Sorry about that. But of course pick and choose what you think fits the thread.

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I won't cherry pick QC. :) I had to remove the quote tags because I exceeded to maximum allowed in a post. (always something...sheesh). You blew it up QC LOL. So I'll bold your questions instead.

My questions are about #2 above:

2 - a personal sighting of "what looked like a person covered in hair lying face down on an interstate bridge overpass in the 80's"

Can you offer more background on this, SD? From the physical: I know it was a long time ago, but answer what you can remember. What highway? County?

Interstate I-81, southbound lane, exit 5 on the bridge overpass, Bristol, Virginia.

Where was the creature (which side of the road) and were you in the lane next to it?

I was travelling North on I-81 so it was on my left. If you want to take a look at the location, go to Google street view, start at exit 7 on I-81 and go south. The next exit down is exit 5. Go by the off ramp and you'll see the bridge overpass on the right (just past the off ramp). It was on the far end of the bridge overpass.

Were you driving?

Yes

Weather?

It was a Monday morning, and it was clear and sunny.

Season?

That part is a bit murkey. It wasn't summer because I was attending college at the time and was on my way to class.

Heavy or light traffic around you at the time you saw this? Day or night?

It was a Monday morning, apprx. 8am. when I noticed it. Don't recall if traffic was heavy or light.

Lighting of any kind- moon or bridge lights? Your speed?

N/A. Speed limit was 55 mph because I-81 was in the process of being widened from 2 to 3 lanes through Bristol. How fast I was really going is anyones guess.

Did you go back?

Drove by it everyday for 7 days.

Try to find anything in the papers?

Watched the news and read the papers after it was removed. If it was reported I missed it.

How large was it compared to an average human male or black bear?

It was of average human size and dimension 5'4" give or take a few inches.

What made you think it was bipedal?

I can't say for a fact if it was or wasn't bipedal. It did however appear to have the same shape and dimensions as a human.

Anything odd about the hair?

That's the part that threw me for a loop. It was covered in light blonde hair that had a reddish tint to it 3-4 inches long.

If it had been hit and was large enough for you to consider bigfoot, it must have done some damage to a vehicle if a car, to the point of causing an accident or the driver to have to pull over from damage or just shock. A bigfoot hit could or more likely would be interpreted as having hit a human by the driver, I would think. ( a semi, drunk, hit-and-run are all possible too though) Maybe nothing hit it. Did you live near or were familiar with the area?

I lived very close by at the time and am very familiar with the area.

Could it have been a rug? People dump and lose all kinds of odd stuff along roadways? And why not a bear?

At the time all kinds of things ran though my mind as a possibility as to what it was. I would have stopped to get a better look in a heartbeat if it wasn't illegal to stop on a bridge overpass.

Mindset questions: Clear thinking or tired at the time?

I was 28 or 29 at the time so tired wasn't in my vocabulary then lol. Seriously though, it was early morning, but I wasn't tired from what I remember.

Previous to this incident: Were you a bigfoot enthusiast at the time? Thought BF was a possibility?

I had seen the PGF about 10 years prior to, but had very little interest in the subject at the time. I concidered it a possibility but discounted it because I thought (at the time) that such creatures were 8ft. tall, brown or black, and lived only in the PNW. And besides, if a BF lived around here I would have heard about it in the news or on the street.

Heard any BF stories from the area?

At the time not the first one.

Read any books or saw any recent shows/movies about bigfoot?

Like I said I saw a movie about BF that showed the PFG about 10 yrs. prior. No books.

I'm just trying to see what your mindset was at the time. Iow, why do you connect that incident with Bigfoot?

I connect it to we may not know everything there is to know. What it really was is anyones guess. I wish now I would have taken the risk to get a better look (against my better judgment) so I could say for sure what it was.

Statement #2 doesn't necessarily sound like you did, but since that is what this thread is about, I have to assume you did? How old were you? Had you looked for bigfoot in the woods at all?

I was 28 or 29. I had never went looking nor was I interested in doing so.

Did this incident always haunt you as a BF possibility or at the time did you dismiss it completely only later come to think of it as possible BF after you became interested in the topic?

This incident was totally forgotten. Never gave it a second thought as I totally dismissed it through "critical thinking". I was glad when it was finally removed because it was tempting me to do something illegal (stopping on a bridge overpass). I didn't remember until I asked myself why do I think there's a possibility of such a creature. What the heck am I thinking? It's not like I've ever seen one....

and then I remembered.

If you need clarification on anything just let me know.

I know it's just a story folks, so I'll go ahead and beat you to the punch and state the obvious.... it's just a story. One i didn't make up but there's no way for anyone else to know that for a fact. Just so everyone knows I understand that.

Edited by Stardrive
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Did you go back?

Drove by it everyday for 7 days.

Meaning you saw it there for 7 days before it was gone? Anything to indicate whatever it was was biological and had been injured/hit by traffic? Did it remain the same for the 7 days. Iow, did it ever bloat? Deteriorate? Or change at all as an animal would? Show signs of being scavenged?

More ?'s :w00t: Thanks for taking the time btw :)

Edited by QuiteContrary
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Meaning you saw it there for 7 days before it was gone?

That bothers me in this story. Lots of people would have passed by it and no one stopped? Even an on duty or off duty police officer?

If I had thought it looked human like, I certainly would have gone back. At least slowed down to make a certain identification.

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That bothers me in this story. Lots of people would have passed by it and no one stopped? Even an on duty or off duty police officer?

If I had thought it looked human like, I certainly would have gone back. At least slowed down to make a certain identification.

It bothered me in the story as well. I mean the police HAD to have driven by it. I thought it'd be gone after the first day. I slowed down to try and get a better look but it was always dark and I never could make out anything definitive about it. It looked like a booger, but it might of been a bail of hay, or some kind of landscaping material that was dumped there.

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SD, Did you make out a head? Appendages? Hands or feet?

I was northbound when i first saw it. It was on my left in the southbound lane and appeared to be lying face down with it's head point south. I saw the head first, I thought it was a person because it appeared to have hair that was combed over to one side and what appeared to be a stream of blood coming from the head. When I got parallel to it is when I noticed no clothing and covered in light blonde hair with the reddish tint. I saw what appeared to be a head, torso, hips, legs. Legs seems a bit skinny. Never could make out any fingers or toes. Yeah, it could of been someone's hideous colored shag carpet, I'll never know for sure.

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I was northbound when i first saw it. It was on my left in the southbound lane and appeared to be lying face down with it's head point south. I saw the head first, I thought it was a person because it appeared to have hair that was combed over to one side and what appeared to be a stream of blood coming from the head. When I got parallel to it is when I noticed no clothing and covered in light blonde hair with the reddish tint. I saw what appeared to be a head, torso, hips, legs. Legs seems a bit skinny. Never could make out any fingers or toes. Yeah, it could of been someone's hideous colored shag carpet, I'll never know for sure.

So you last drove the route on say a Friday, didn't see it then. But noticed it on the following Monday morning?

Did it change over the 7 days? Bloat? Deteriorate? Signs of scavenging or being moved? Sorry to repeat but am curious if it decomp/deteriorate like an animal carcass. Or just stayed the same pretty much.

Edited by QuiteContrary
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Yeah, imo, it's a long time to leave something so large along such a highly traveled road as I-81, dangerous for drivers. (I lived in VA along 1-81 in the 80's and again in the 90's) but above Blacksburg.

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This incident was totally forgotten. Never gave it a second thought as I totally dismissed it through "critical thinking". I was glad when it was finally removed because it was tempting me to do something illegal (stopping on a bridge overpass). I didn't remember until I asked myself why do I think there's a possibility of such a creature. What the heck am I thinking? It's not like I've ever seen one....

and then I remembered.

When did you remember this incident again (day/month/year if possible)?

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Interstate I-81, southbound lane, exit 5 on the bridge overpass, Bristol, Virginia.

...

I was travelling North on I-81 so it was on my left. If you want to take a look at the location, go to Google street view, start at exit 7 on I-81 and go south. The next exit down is exit 5. Go by the off ramp and you'll see the bridge overpass on the right (just past the off ramp). It was on the far end of the bridge overpass.

wlq24i.jpg

(click on image to expand)

https://www.google.c...-82.1560715,17z

Edited by Night Walker
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So you last drove the route on say a Friday, didn't see it then. But noticed it on the following Monday morning?

Not sure.

Did it change over the 7 days? Bloat? Deteriorate? Signs of scavenging or being moved? Sorry to repeat but am curious if it decomp/deteriorate like an animal carcass. Or just stayed the same pretty much.

The next day it started raining; The hair matted down and turned a dirty tan color from the cars going by splashing road grime on it. It never did change shape or size. I didn't notice any signs of decomposition or scavengers. It wasn't summer so the chances of it being warm outside at the time are slim.

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When did you remember this incident again (day/month/year if possible)?

About 3 years ago.... I think?

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About 3 years ago.... I think?

Some time in 2011?

What's your understanding of human memory - how it works, what can influence it, its reliability, etc?

Edited by Night Walker
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I understand I have an acute case of CRS. Can't remember squat. What I do remember best from the incident is what I was thinking at the time.

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I understand I have an acute case of CRS. Can't remember squat. What I do remember best from the incident is what I was thinking at the time.

Thanks for your response but you did not answer the question.

To be clear I'm not asking you about what you remember about this incident but about your understanding of the inner workings of human memory. This is important - so important that it has the potential to become a game-changer for your broader appreciation of the paranormal in general, the Bigfoot phenomenon in particular (which is what we are exploring here), and even any personal experiences with either you may have.

So I'll ask it again: "What's your understanding of human memory - how it works, what can influence it, its reliability, etc?"

Please take your time...

How does a lump lying on the side of the road for 7 days make one believe in bigfoot?

One didn't lead to the other - it's just one piece of the puzzle.

yko5t.jpg

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It wasn't summer because I was attending college at the time and was on my way to class.

It was a Monday morning, apprx. 8am.

It was a Monday morning, and it was clear and sunny.

I slowed down to try and get a better look but it was always dark and I never could make out anything definitive about it.

Sunrise in nearby Bristol, VA, can be as late as 7:41am in late December and early January - how "clear and sunny" or "dark" is it there 20 minutes after sunrise?

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At the time all kinds of things ran though my mind as a possibility as to what it was

It looked like a booger

appear to have the same shape and dimensions as a human

I concidered it [bigfoot] a possibility but discounted it

I totally dismissed it through "critical thinking"

I-81 was in the process of being widened from 2 to 3 lanes

it might of been a bail of hay, or some kind of landscaping material that was dumped there

it could of been someone's hideous colored shag carpet

I didn't remember until I asked myself why do I think there's a possibility of such a creature. What the heck am I thinking? It's not like I've ever seen one....

and then I remembered.

What I do remember best from the incident is what I was thinking at the time.

I think it is significant that one of your first thoughts was that it was a Bigfoot despite it not being 8ft, neither black nor brown in colour, and far from the PNW. After you give an outline of your understanding of the nature of memory I will endeavour to explain just why it is (or may be) significant...

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One didn't lead to the other - it's just one piece of the puzzle.

yko5t.jpg

Sorry but this is Stardrive's sighting, not yours and the question was directed at him, especially when a lump lying on the side of the road is some kind of "piece in a puzzle". Think about this story for a second and then ask in what third world s-hole could a bigfoot lie on the side of the road without anyone stopping? Then ask why is this "bigfoot" so freakin small, so abnormally small for even a human? He has already made two mistakes, which you missed, so p*** poor interviewing.

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